Billet-turner



L. L. WELCH BILLET TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14. 1918.

1,340,640. I Patehted May 18,1920.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14' 1918- L. L. WELCH. v BILLETTURNER.

Patented May 18, 1920.

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H15 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LON WELCI-I, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO EAMPTON ELECTRIC AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A C(JRPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

BILLET-TURNER.

Application filed December 14, 1918.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LON L. 11L011, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Billet-Turner, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for handling large billets, and an object of the invention is to provide means for turning the billet to position 1t under the forging hammer exactly as the operator desires.

The invention possesses other features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. lt is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of the billet turner, portions being broken away to di close the structure.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the billet turner, portions being broken away to disclose the structure.

The apparatus of my invention is hung from a crane at a suitable distance from the hammer and supports one end of the billet or forging which is to be shaped or forged. Means are provided whereby the apparatus is controlled by the hammer operator that the billet may be slowly turned under the hammer as the forging requires.

Two side plates 2 connected by bolts 3 passing through spacing sleeves l, form the frame of the apparatus. Because of the great amount of vibration to which the billet and all parts of the apparatus are subjected, means are provided for resiliently supporting the frame of the apparatus from the crane hook. Bolted to each side plate is a bar 6 having its upper portion extending through two spaced square plates 7. A yoke 8 attached to the crane hook or chain by any suitable means (not shown) is formedwitlr' arms 9 which also pass through the plates. Coiled about the bars 6 and arms 9 between the plates 7 are springs 11. Nuts 12 and 13 on the ends of the bars and arms respec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Serial No. 266,827.

tively prevent disengagement from the plates. The apparatus is thus resiliently supported by the coiled springs 11 from the.

crane chain.

Preferably the bars 6 extend downwardly on the plates 2 and are enlarged at their lower ends to form bearings 14 for the shaft 16 upon which a heavy sprocket 1'? is rotatably mounted. A flat link chain 18 engages the sprocket and hangs in a loop 19 below the apparatus, and it is in this loop that the billet is supported. Revolution of the sprocket in either direction causes the chain to turn with it and thus turns the billet supported in the chain loop. The amount of revolution of the sprocket is controlled by the operator of the hammer and a billet weighing many tons is quickly and easily turned to the exact position required for the hammer blows.

Means are provided for turning the sprocket. Fixed to the hub of the sprocket by bolts 21 is a spur gear 22 which revolves with the sprocket upon the shaft 16. Journaled in a bracket 23 secured to the plate 2 is a sleeve 24 to which is attached the handle 26 by which the sleeve may be turned through a partial revolution. A. set screw 27 in the bracket is adapted to engage reverses in the sleeve so that the sleeve may be positively locked in either of the positions to which it may be turned by the handle 26. Eccentrically journaled in the sleeve is the shaft 28 provided at one end with the fixed pinion 29 engaging the gear 22 and at the other end with a flanged collar 31 forming part of a resilient coupling which connects the shaft 28 to the worm wheel 32 re'volubly mounted thereon. Pins fixed in the collar 31 alternate with pins 34 fixed in the side, of the worm wheel, and one or two turns of spring wire 36 are coiled about the pins to form a resilient coupling between them.

The worm wheel is in mesh with a worm 37 on the shaft 38 suitably journaled in the bracket 23 which is formed to provide a housing for the parts. The cap 39 of the housing is not shown in Fig. 2, and is partially broken away in Fig. 1. The shaft 38 is connected by a resilient and flexible coupling 41, similar to that just described, with the shaft 42 of the reversible motor 43 connected by flexible conductors of convenient length with any suitable source of current. A control switch as of any known type, for starting, stopping and reversing the motor is placed convenient to the operator.

From the above it will be clear that the motor 13 drives the shaft 38 through the flexible and resilient coupling i1 which ab sorbs the shock of sudden starts. The worm on the shaft drives the worm wheel 32 which turns the shaft 28 through the resilient coupling 3 -334c. The shaft 28 and pinion 29 drive the gear 22 which revolves with the sprocket 1T. T he coupling 33-3 f protects the worm and worm wheel from damage due to the momental movement of the heavily loaded sprocket 18. A speed ratio between sprocket and motor of l to 300 has been found satisfactory.

if for any reason the motor 13 should become inoperative Whig a hot billet is being forged, so that it could not be used to turn the chain 18, the handle 26 is moved to turn the eccentric sleeve 24, thus throwing the shaft 28 to one side and disengaging the pinion 29 from the gear 22 the worm wheel rolling along the worm. The sprocket and. chain then turn freely and the billet is turned by hand power applied through levers in the usual way. In other words the eccentric sleeve mounting is merely a disconnecting means useful in an emergency to avoid the losing of a heat in a forging which would perhaps be ruined by a re heating.

1 claim:

1. In a billet turner, a frame, a sprocket rotatably mounted in said frame, a chain for supporting the billet on said sprocket, means for turning the sprocket and shock absorbing means interposed between said turning means and said sprocket.

2. In a billet turner, a frame, a sprocket rotatably mounted in said frame, a chain on said sprocket for supporting said billet, a motor on said frame, a worm gear interposed between said motor and said sprocket, and a resilient coupling interposed between said. worm gear and said sprocket.

In a billet turner, a frame, a sprocket rotatably mounted in said frame, a chain on said sprocket for supporting said billet, a motor on said frame, a worm gear interposed between said motor andsaid sprocket, a resilient coupling interposed between said worm gear and said sprocket and a resilient coupling interposed between said motor and said worm gear.

In a billet turner, a frame, a sprocket rotatably mounted in said frame, a chain on said sprocket for supporting said billet, a spur gear mounted for rotation with said sprocket, a pivotally mounted sleeve, a shaft eccentrically mountedin said sleeve, a pinion on said shaft normally engaged with said gear, means for revolving said shaft and means for turning said sleeve to free said pinion from said gear.

5. In a billet turner, a frame, a sprocket rotatably mounted in said frame, a chain on said sprocket for supporting said billet, a spur gear mounted for rotation with said sprocket, a pivotally mounted sleeve, a shaft eccentrically mounted in said sleeve, a pinion on said shaft normally engaged with said gear, means for revolving said shaft, means for turning said sleeve to free said pinion from said gear, and means for locking said sleeve in position.

6. In a billet turner, a frame, a sprocket rotatably mounted in said frame, a chain on said sprocket for supporting said billet, a spur gear mounted for rotation with said sprocket, a pivotally mounted sleeve, a shaft eccentrically mounted in said sleeve, a pinion on said shaft normally engaged with said gear, a worm wheel pivotally arranged on said shaft, a resilient coupling between said worm wheel and said shaft, means for re volving the worm wheel, and means for turning the sleeve to free said pinion from said gear.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 23d day of November, 1918.

LON L. WELOH. 

